Skin: An InoShika Story
by ninjafrogofHNM
Summary: Songfic What happens when Yamanaka Ino is diagnosed with a terrible illness that, in order to cure, she must undergo a treatment that will cause all of her hair to fall out? Will a certain someone help her out or will she live on in misery? [InoShika]


Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. 

Title: Skin - Sarah Beth: An InoShika story

Pairings:

Main: InoShika

A/N: This is my first fanfiction, so I doubt it is too good. Reviews are welcomed, constructive critisism and compliments are always good, flames will not be turned away, though they will be used to cook some instant ramen.

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_**Skin - Sarah Beth**_

_**A ShikaIno Songfic**_

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_Sarah Beth_

_Is scared to death_

_To hear what the doctor will say_

_She hasn't been well_

_Since the day that she fell_

_And the bruise it just won't go away_

Slender fingers carefully ran across the ugly, fist-sized, patch of black and purple colored skin that stretched across the otherwise flawless tanned upper-arm skin of a certain female Shinobi. The fingers of her other hand absentmindedly twirled a strand of golden blond hair while light blue eyes stared anxiously at the door that leads to the doctors offices, x-ray rooms, and check-up rooms in back. Her mind wondered back to her team's mission, almost a month ago, in which she'd received the bruise that was displayed to the world, not being covered by her normal, dark purple, Shinobi outfit. She leaned forward a bit, intertwining her fingers below her chin in the form of a makeshift hammock, and continued intently staring at the door, her eyes seeing through it's dark wood and back to that mission.

_So she sits and she waits_

_With her mother and dad _

_And flips through an old magazine_

_Until the nurse with the smile _

_Stands at the door_

_And says, "Will you please come with me?"_

Her reverie, however, was cut short when she felt her mother put her hand on her knee. "Are you feeling alright?" Her mother asked quietly, a flicker of concern for her daughter showing in her light blue eyes.

"Don't worry, Kaa-san. I'm fine." Ino replied with a toothy smile towards her mother, though, in all truth, she was wondering if she really was or not. In an attempt to keep her mind of the situation at hand Ino picked up the nearest magazine, an old Time Magazine with an article on the ten hottest male and female Shinobi of the year. She immediately begins immersing herself in the outdated article to keep herself busy when the door she'd previously been boring holes into, opened.

"Yamanaka, Ino." A male voice called out to the waiting room, his brown eyes looking up from a clipboard to the waiting patients in the room, seeking out the one called. Ino gulped down a deep breath of air before setting the magazine down and rising slowly to her feet. Biting the corner of her bottom lip in nervousness, she followed the male nurse through the door and into the hallway towards the room the doctor, Tsunade, was waiting in.

_Sarah Beth_

_Is scared to death_

'_Cause the doctor just told her the news_

_Between the red cells and white_

_Something's not right_

_But we're gonna take care of you_

_Six chances in ten_

_It won't come back again_

_With the therapy we're going to try_

_It's just been approved_

_It's the strongest there is_

_And I think we caught it in time_

The normally fierce brown eyes of the doctor softened a little as Tsunade took in the sight of the young girl sitting before her. Ino's eyes were wide in shock and fear, as were her mother's and father's beside her. "W-what?" Ino managed to spit out, though her face still retained its fearful look.

"You have a problem in your blood cells." Tsunade repeated simply, having given the full diagnosis a moment before.

"Am I going to die?" Ino asked, her eyes even more terror-stricken at the thought that had just come to her. Her parents as well looked at Tsunade for the answer, pure horror clutching all three's stomachs.

"If left untreated for a long amount of time it could become fatal." The blond doctor replied and took a deep breath before continuing. "Luckily, we caught it in time so we'll be able to treat it. There's a very good possibility that after the treatment the problem won't come back because of the new treatment we'll be using."

_Sarah Beth closes her eyes_

_She dreams she's dancing_

_Around and around _

_Without any cares_

_And her very first love_

_Is holding her close_

_And the soft wind is blowing her hair_

Ino's shoulders began to shake softly as she suppressed shivers at the thought of her illness and the possibility of death, though she didn't think she was going to die but she did know that if they hadn't come to check it out it would have been possible. She buried her head in her arms, closing her eyes, and took deep, calming breaths. She racked her brain for anything, anything that would take her mind off the news she'd just been told. Images of her friends: Hinata, Tenten, Sakura, Shikamaru and Choji, and her sensei, Asuma, all flooded into her mind. Her parents came into mind as well as the rest of the rookie nine Shinobi.

She remembered the time team 8, her team, had gone to celebrate Shikamaru becoming a chuunin. Asuma had taken them out to eat barbeque; Choji had eaten more than anyone else of course. Afterwards they had gone out to a club where they met up with most of the other rookie nine and team Gai. Everyone there had a great time dancing, she'd even managed to drag Shikamaru out on the floor, despite his protests of it being too 'troublesome' and made him dance with her.

Reminiscing about that night and all the fun they'd all had then made her wish she could go back to that night and stay that way forever. That way she wouldn't have to be going through all of this.

_Sarah Beth_

_Is scared to death_

_As she sits holding her mom_

'_Cause it would be a mistake_

_For someone to take_

_A girl with no hair to the Prom_

_For just this morning_

_Right there on her pillow_

_Was the cruelest of the surprise_

_And she cried when she gathered it all in her hands_

_The proof that she couldn't deny_

Ino's face was buried into her mother's dark brown hair as tears cascaded down her cheeks and onto her mom's shirt, soaking it in the general area of the shoulder. Her mother could do nothing more than stroke her daughter's back comfortingly as Ino continued to hug her mother and sob into her hair. Ino's own golden blond hair was, at the moment, covering her hospital pillow and a foot or two diameter around it. A few simple strands still clutching desperately in her hands behind her mom.

"Don't worry, Ino dear. You're okay now, and your hair will grow back before you know it." She soothed, still stroking her back. Ino didn't respond verbally, but her sobbing lessened and soon died altogether, though she didn't break from her mother's embrace.

_Sarah Beth closes her eyes_

_And she dreams she dancing_

_Around and around_

_Without any cares_

_And her very first love_

_Was holding her close_

_And the soft wind was blowing her hair_

After quite awhile in that position, Ino's eyes began drifting closed and she was soon asleep, her head resting on her mother's shoulder and her face nestled into her mom's hair.

She dreamt she was slow dancing with someone, whom she didn't know though at the moment she'd didn't really care she was just enjoying the feeling of carelessly dancing around the dance floor with her head on the man's shoulder. Her golden blond hair falling in waves over her own shoulder and pleasantly tickling her cheek as she slowly moved to the beat of the somewhat distant music.

_It's a quarter to seven_

_That boys at the door_

_And her daddy ushers him in_

_And when he takes off his cap_

_They all start to cry_

'_Cause this morning_

_Where his hair had been_

_Softly she touches just skin_

The pleasantness Ino had felt in that dream was now long gone; now she merely sat, staring at the clouds through the window of the hospital room. 'Tsk, I'm hanging around Shikamaru to much.' Ino thought, allowing a small smile to grace her lips, for a moment, at the thought. The initial shock of reality had finally passed into a calm, though still sad and somber, acceptance. The silence of the room was only broken by the ticking of the clock that hung on the wall above the door as the minute hand swung up to the 45 minute position, pointing to the 9.

A slow, almost lazy, knock came at the door and her father got up to open it. She didn't bother to look over to see who it was, she already knew. No one but Shikamaru could actually make a knock 'sound' lazy. "Come in." She heard her father tell him, so she finally turned around to face the others, though she was a little nervous about being seen like this. Shikamaru walked in, but he looked, different. Ino couldn't place it at first but then she saw it, he was wearing a baseball cap on his head.

She was about to ask him about it but before the words could form themselves in her mouth he'd already taken it off, to reveal a newly shaven head. Tears fell down her cheeks as she got up and walked over to him. She gently touched his head were his hair had once been before wrapping her arms around his torso in a tight hug as the tears continued down her face.

_And they go dancing_

_Around and around_

_Without any cares_

_And her very first true love_

_Was holding her close_

_And for a moment she isn't scared_

Wearing a formfitting light blue dress that almost perfectly matched the color of her eyes and a scarf hanging from the crooks of her arms, Ino walked, arm-in-arm with Shikamaru, who was wearing a white shirt and black pants, as they walked into the club.

Soon a slow song came on and the two made their way onto the dance floor. Halfway through Ino's headed drooped onto Shikamaru's shoulder as they continued dancing along with the rest of the dancers in the building. "You look great tonight Ino." Shikamaru whispered to her, though loud enough to hear over the music. Her reply was to close her eyes and smile as the song went on, feeling safer than she had in a long time.

**FIN**

All spelling, grammar, or any other likewise mistakes are Property

of 'Rae, the ninja frog and weapons mistress of HNM' 2007


End file.
